Take the Lead

"Great leaders don't tell you what to do. They show you how it's done." -Anonymous

Good Wednesday afternoon to you all. Unfortunately I don't have any April Fool's Day jokes but I hope you'll take a moment to share your input with me anyway! I wanted to ask, what does the word "leader" mean to you?

The definition of leadership is "a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others towards the achievement of a goal." Likewise, the meaning of leader is "the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country." However, I think the definition can vary from person to person.

I suppose I'll go first to answer the question. To me, a leader is someone who manages by their example. If the person in charge is in fact "practicing what they preach," I feel it encourages their followers (or employees) to do their very best. In other words, employees may strive to live up to the standard set by their leader. Leading by example includes actions that are encouraging to others and influence them to behave and respond in ways that are deemed valuable and appropriate for the company or organization.

I'm thankful to report that I have several great examples of leaders in my life, both at work and in my family. I credit these individuals for a lot, including my drive and work ethic. Now I'd love to hear from you! Please comment below and share with us what a leader is to you, an example of good leadership, or maybe even both.